I do not pay someone
to listen to my problems
because I’m in a progressive
state where therapists are everywhere
and free to the needy.
I’m in the library across
from an office of therapy.
I am watching the hand
in the office window. Clearly,
the hand is the client.
Shit, as soon as I
mentioned it, he retracted it.
Maybe not, yeah, it’s back.
There’s a ring on him.
He pretends to be whisking
an egg. Now bouncing atop
the blond armrest. He opens,
lifts as if listening to
music; or he is palsied.
Period. It’s away now. Period.
No! It’s back doing capisce;
understand in Italian. Lily bud.
It is a pale hand. He’s
pointing now. Fist hitting his
armrest. He’s opened fingers, it’s
away from the window. No,
it’s back. It’s up near
his chest then hits armrest.
Maybe this is a woman?
Now it’s whisking in tighter
circles, presumably, a smaller egg.
Less work, less concern. Why
did I assume masculine previously?
It was a thick ring.
But women do that too:
wear thick rings. It’s 50/50.
The hand was not hairy.
Our hands are bigger now.
It’s gone. Now it’s back
up: bouncing. Nervous but insistent
Who knows what this hand
does away from the window?
In the sticky ear, poking
its owners nose. Pointing. It’s
pointing. Rude or raw confidence.
Now it’s two hands pointing.
Hello! It’s like a chevron.
Bouncing, now the sign for
money: fingers wearing each other
out. It’s away from its
window. I’ll give it five
minutes. I don’t have forever.
It’s back at a new
angle. I see the polar
fleece sleeve of the owner.
which blends with the reflection.
Yes, it’s back; arched like
a sea creature. Now out
of the window, now bobbing
over the armrest energetically.
He or she is dealing
with agitation. He or she
is not touching down now.
The hand unfurls; less weapon,
more emphasis. It diffusely points.
It points over there, beyond
the still life on the wall.
Now the “eh” sign, comme
si, comme ça. Slowing down.
Maybe he or she got
sedation. A headless body towards
me. Hello, Therapist! Nice shirt.
He lumbers with a pad.
The hand leaves the room.
Out for more problems, probably.
No, I reframe that story.
Now, she is reaching out.
Now, they come towards her.
from Consolation and MirthFind more by Ish Klein at the library
Copyright © 2015 Ish Klein
Used with the permission of Canarium Books.